Can a trauma-informed approach be used for people with chronic diseases?
Diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease are the four most common causes of death on a global level.
Lifestyle factors including unhealthy diets, alcohol abuse, lack of exercise and tobacco use are typically attributed to premature deaths among people with these diseases, however many experts now believe that failing to address the root causes of these behaviours is doing people a disservice.
Collectively, we need to better understand why some people are more susceptible to partaking in behaviours that may negatively impact their overall health. There are likely to be numerous factors, however, trauma and how best to treat its symptoms is something that is only now starting to factor into the equation.
The link between trauma and health
Trauma is extremely common and can be experienced in a range of different ways, including psychological abuse and dysfunction in the household. Research has found that people who have had adverse experiences in childhood are more likely to partake in health-impacting behaviours.
As this study published in The Lancet explains, people who have experienced four or more adverse experiences in childhood are between two and three times more likely to misuse alcohol, use tobacco products, and develop chronic health conditions.
The societal impact of trauma
When we experience trauma early in our lives, physiological changes can occur within the body, including the brain, the metabolic system, and the immune system. When these core areas sustain damage, it can impact the way a person behaves and how they physically react to future situations throughout their lives.
Trauma is not an uncommon occurrence. To put this in some context, approximately one-fifth of all people in Europe have had at least two adverse childhood experiences. Not only does this have a huge personal impact on those affected, but it also impacts wider society.
Adverse experiences are not limited to childhood and issues such as bullying, discrimination and poverty can all be causes of trauma.
The benefits of trauma informed training
As such, trauma informed training, such as the program that can be seen here www.tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-courses/trauma-informed-practice-training can help medical professionals in all fields and specialisms to ensure that a person’s needs are being met in the most appropriate ways.
There are numerous elements that contribute to comprehensive trauma-informed care and adopting this approach is key to ensuring that everyone receives the right support precisely when they need it most.
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